Gardaí say anti-water charge protests which took place across the country today have passed off peacefully.

Thousands of people turned out across the country to protest against the charges.

Community campaigns have joined together to mark the deadline for registration for the tax, which is this Monday.

Traffic in Dublin city centre was brought to a standstill this afternoon when thousands of people lined the streets to protest against water charges.

Protesters gathered at Connolly and Heuston Stations from 2 o’clock before marching up the quays and meeting on O’Connell Street for a mass rally.

The estimated attendance for today’s peaceful protest in Dublin is being put at 30,000 by organisers.

Dublin Bus says all diversions have now been lifted.

The group from Connolly marched over Memorial Bridge onto the South Quays. The group from Heuston Station travelled along the North Quays.

The groups then converged at O'Connell Bridge.

Images: Jack Quann

Other protests took place around the country, including Cork, Carlow, Edenderry, Galway, Letterkenny, Listowel, Laois and Wexford.

Traffic delays and restrictions were reported in Cork and Waterford.

Deputy Richard Boyd-Barrett of the People Before Profit Alliance says they will not back down.

Sinn Féin has labelled it a 'day of action' against the charges - but the party environment spokesman, Brian Stanley, stressed that the protests would be peaceful.

Councillor Cieran Perry says they are determined that their voices will be heard.

In a statement, the Right2Water campaign said: "The campaign against these unjust water charges continues. Last year, hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets all over the country, and wrung significant concessions from the government."

"But as we said at the time – people marched for abolition, not concessions."

The next national protest by the Right2Water campaign will take place in March.

Originally published at 7.12am